The long-running British sci-fi adventure Doctor Who is back later this month, and it has been revealed that a key character is also returning. If you don't want to know who it is, stop reading now!
The Doctor's long-time enemy the Master will reappear in the new season, played by John Simm. "I can confirm that it's true, thanks to the power of time travel I'm back," Simm said in a statement. "It's always a pleasure to work with this great team of people and I can't wait for you all to see what the Master gets up to in the next series."
Showrunner Stephen Moffat also commented on Simm's return, and revealed that he would appear opposite Michelle Gomez, who has played the role (as the Mistress) since 2014.
"You'll have to wait a little bit longer to see exactly what the Master is up to and how he makes his return to face the Doctor," he said. "It's been a huge pleasure to have John and Michelle face to face in the same role! It's not often you get to see a solo personality clash."
Simm first played the Master in Season 3, and returned for the two-part special The End of Time in 2009. The character initially appeared in Doctor Who back in 1971, portrayed by Roger Delgado.
The upcoming season is to be the last for both Moffat and star Peter Capaldi. The pair are departing after three and six seasons in their current roles, respectively. Moffat, who serves as head writer and executive producer, will be replaced by Chris Chibnall, who previously contributed episodes such as 42 and The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood.
Capaldi's replacement, meanwhile, is currently unknown, with Ben Whishaw, Richard Ayoade, Rory Kinnear, and Rupert Grint tipped to step in.
With Microsoft revealing more information on Project Scorpio, we have updated our console specs compared story to include the latest information on Microsoft's upcoming system. Specs, features, and prices for all the modern consoles are condensed in our comprehensive chart below.
Xbox One
Xbox One S
Project Scorpio
Playstation 4
PlayStation 4 Slim
PlayStation 4 Pro
Switch
CPU
1.75GHz 8-core AMD custom CPU
1.75GHz 8-core AMD custom CPU
2.3GHz 8-core AMD custom Scorpio Engine CPU
1.6GHz 8-core AMD custom "Jaguar" CPU
1.6GHz 8-core AMD custom "Jaguar" CPU
2.1GHz 8-core AMD custom "Jaguar" CPU
1020MHz Nvidia custom Tegra SOC (*Clockspeed TBC)
GPU
Integrated AMD graphics clocked at 853MHz with 1.31 teraflops of performance
Integrated AMD graphics clocked at 914MHz
Integrated AMD graphics with 6 teraflops of performance
Integrated AMD graphics clocked at 800MHz with 1.84 teraflops of performance
Integrated AMD graphics clocked at 800MHz with 1.84 teraflops of performance
Integrated AMD Polaris graphics with 4.2 teraflops of performance
Black (Joy-Con controllers are also available in red/blue)
Optical Drive
Blu-ray/DVD
4K/HDR Blu-ray drive
4K/HDR Blu-ray drive
Blu-ray/DVD
Blu-ray/DVD
Blu-ray/DVD
NA
Networking
Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi A/B/G/N 2.4GHz and 5GHz
Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi A/B/G/N/AC 2.4GHz and 5GHz
TBD
Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 B/G/N, 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 2.1
Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 B/G/N/AC, Bluetooth 4.0
Gigabit Ethernet
802.11A/B/G/N/AC Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compliant) / Bluetooth 4.1 (TV mode only. A wired LAN connection is possible through the use of a commercially available wired LAN adapter.)
Internet Subscription
Xbox Live required to play online
Xbox Live required to play online
TBD
PS Plus required to play online
PS Plus required to play online
PS Plus required to play online
Nintendo Switch Online Service required to play online
Ports
Power, HDMI in, HDMI out, 3x USB 3.0, S/PDIF, Kinect port, IR out
Power, HDMI 2.0a in, HDMI 2.0a out, 3x USB 3.0, S/PDIF, Kinect port, IR out
TBD
HDMI, analog-AV out, 2xUSB 3.0, AUX, S/PDIF
HDMI, analog-AV out, 2xUSB 3.1, AUX
HDMI, 3x USB 3.1, 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x PS Camera
Game Card, Audio Jack, SD card slot, USB-C, HDMI out
We've highlighted a few interesting tidbits below:
Which console is the most powerful? On paper, Microsoft's Project Scorpio console is poised to become the most powerful system with its 6 teraflops of performance, but it isn't slated to release until the end of 2017. As of today, the PS4 Pro is arguably the most powerful console on the market, offering 4.2 teraflops of performance.
Which console offers the most storage space? The console that currently offers the most storage space out of the box is the 2TB version of the Xbox One S. It's worth mentioning that you can swap out the storage drives on the PlayStation 4 consoles, which is something Xbox One systems currently can't do. The Switch also features expandable storage via its MicroSDXC card slot.
Which console is the heaviest? Without knowing the weight of Project Scorpio, the original Xbox One is the heaviest of the bunch, weighing 7.8 pounds.
If you're more into the game's Stunt Race Series, there are extra bonuses for you, too: players are getting double RP and GTA$ on all 15 stunt races for the next five days. There are also in-game deals on land and sea. This week, players will get 25% off the following:
Watercraft: Aquarius, Pieces, and Orion Yachts, Nagasaki Dinghy
We enjoyed Lego City Undercover on its original release--critic Kevin VanOrd said few games are as good at "making you feel so young at heart." For more, check out our full Lego City Undercover review.
4K and HDR are terms that have been tossed around a lot lately, especially since the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft will support both features. But what are 4K and HDR, exactly? We provide all the important details in Q&A format down below.
4K
What is 4K?
In regards to consumer displays, 4K generally equates to a 3840x2160-resolution panel. This means the typical 4K screen will offer 3,840 horizontal pixels and 2,160 vertical pixels. When you multiply these numbers together, you get a panel with more than 8 million pixels. This is four times the pixel density of a traditional 1080p HD panel. See the math below:
3840x2160 = 8,294,400 pixels
1920x1080x4 = 8,294,400 pixels
The term 4K derived from the fact that the film industry reached a 4096x2160 resolution standard, which is a 1.9:1 aspect ratio, but since most home monitors and TVs use a 16:9 ratio, the resolution was scaled down to 3840x2160p, which is also commonly referred to as Ultra HD.
Why should I care about 4K?
Studies show that by 2020, the majority of US homes are expected to have a 4K-capable UHD TV.
In terms of picture quality, the increased resolution provides improved image clarity and sharpness. It also allows for larger panels, since 1080p screens stretched across a large surface will begin to look blurry with their low pixel density.
Do I need a 4K player to take advantage of 4K?
Yes. There are standalone 4K players, but gaming PCs with modern graphics cards will also be able to output to 4K as well. The Xbox One S can play 4K movies, but it doesn't have enough power to render 4K games. While the PlayStation 4 Pro is capable of running some games natively at 4K, many games use a checkerboard rendering shortcut. Microsoft asserts that its upcoming Project Scorpio console will be able to game at 4K.
purports to support both 4K video playback and 4K gaming.
Is there a lot of 4K content?
Netflix's House of Cards was one of the first streaming shows to support 4K.
Most blockbuster movies moving forward will offer 4K Blu-ray discs, but UHD content on the Web is still a growing segment. 2160p video is becoming more widely available on streaming services like YouTube, Amazon, Vimeo, and Netflix. Certain high-profile 4K Netflix shows include Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and House of Cards.
What are the issues facing 4K?
Aside from the relatively small library of 4K content at the moment, you'll need a good Internet connection if you intend to stream 2160p video. In addition, because 4K is four times as sharp as 1080p, it can be graphically demanding for gaming.
HDR
What is HDR?
HDR stands for high dynamic range. You might have heard the term as it pertains to cameras, but when it comes to display technology, it's actually somewhat different.
Samsung showcases HDR on its TVs.
When cameras are shooting in HDR, they're typically taking multiple exposures to highlight the dark and light information in a scene. From there, processing is used to combine the exposures into one picture to deliver a balanced image that's more representative of how we, as humans, perceive light and color.
HDR on TVs also aims to represent colors in a more realistic way, but instead of using image processing to combine exposures together, it simply uses panels that offer a much wider color gamut compared to standard RGB TVs.
The black triangle represents HDR, and encompasses roughly 75 percent of colors that the human eye can see. The Yellow triangle represents the color gamut of more traditional sRGB screens.
According to Nvidia, HDR can expand the color gamut by a factor of two, which amounts to roughly 75 percent of the visible color spectrum.
Why should I care about HDR?
In terms of image quality, HDR increases the contrast between blacks and whites over traditional RGB displays. This means whites will look super bright, and blacks will look very dark. Colors will also look much more lush and vibrant. For instance, onscreen fire effects will look much "warmer," and images will, in general, have a little more pop. It's a technology that's arguably more noticeable than the upgrade from 1080p to 4K.
Do all 4K TVs support HDR?
No. While the vast majority of HDR TVs will feature a 4K panel (due to their appeal to a high-end market), not all 4K TVs will support HDR. They're separate technologies. Having said that, HDR pairs very well with 2160p and makes good use of the greater pixel density to create a more dynamic, richer image.
What will I need to enable HDR?
Sony updated all PS4s to support HDR.
Aside from an HDR-capable TV, you'll need an HDR-capable player and HDR content (this goes for movies and games). In terms of consoles, Microsoft's Xbox One S supports HDR, and Sony eventually pushed out an HDR update to existing PS4s. In addition, the PS4 Pro also supports HDR, though it doesn't have a 4K/Blu-ray HDR optical drive like the Xbox One S. Microsoft's upcoming Project Scorpio console will also support HDR. In order to get HDR working, you'll need an HDMI 2.0 cable.
Is there a lot of HDR content?
Not at the moment. HDR content is still in a state of infancy, even compared to 4K, but both Amazon Prime Instant Video and Netflix are working to incorporate more HDR video content. Some of Netflix's existing, prominent HDR content includes its own Marco Polo and Daredevil shows.
Older movies and games can also be remastered to support HDR. For instance, Sony recently revealed that Uncharted 4: A Thief's End will eventually receive an HDR update.
Are OLED TVs the same as HDR TVs?
Not necessarily. OLED TVs offer deep black levels (with each pixel serving as its own light source) and can be HDR-capable, but since they're not backlit in the same way that popular LED TVs are, they're not generally as bright. This means they can fail to meet HDR's 1,000 nit brightness requirements. In order for an OLED TV to meet HDR's requirements, it needs to have more than 540 nits of brightness and less than .0005 nits of black level.
How can I know if I'm buying an HDR TV?
The UHD Alliance was formed to create standards for HDR TVs. One standard is based on whether or not a TV can reach a certain peak brightness, measured in nits. The other standard, which is more popular for dimmer OLED TVs, is for the panel to meet a certain contrast ratio between blacks and whites.
To know whether or not the UHD Alliance has certified a TV as HDR-complaint, look for the Ultra HD Premium label.
To celebrate the upcoming release of Prey, you can enter for a chance to wintwo (2) tickets for you and a friend to see Starship Troopers at the Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco on Tuesday, April 11th. Five (5) winners, plus their friends, will be chosen on Sunday, April 9th, and contacted via email. Winners will have to travel to the event at their own cost.
Attendees of the event will be able to play the game Prey, enjoy food/drinks, and get a chance to win a custom Prey Xbox One or PlayStation 4. This event is sponsored by Bethesda Softworks.
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – New Mission at Bear vs Bull | 2550 Mission St. San Francisco, CA 94110
When: Tuesday, April 11, 2017. The event starts at 5:00pm PT and Starship Troopers showing begins at 7:00pm PT.
The device contains 12 GB of RAM--50% more than the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That memory is GDDR5, the same, faster type of memory seen in the PS4, and an improvement over Xbox One's DDR3.
Memory bandwidth is also improved: Scorpio's RAM has a transfer speed of 326 GB/s, an increase over PS4 Pro's 218 GB/s. The picture on Xbox One is a little more complicated, as it contained 32 MB of ESRAM, which is not seen in the other consoles, in addition to its more conventional 8 GB OF DDR3 RAM. These portions of RAM could clock 204 GB/s and 68 GB/s, respectively.
The new device's graphical capabilities are contained on a new System on Chip called the Scorpio Engine, which was designed in conjunction with AMD. This contains 40 "customized" compute units clocked at 1172 MHz, up from PS4 Pro's 36 units that run at 911 MHz and Xbox One's 12 units that can manage 853 MHz. For comparison, Xbox One S also contained 12, though they were slightly faster at 914 MHz. Scorpio's GPU is about 4.6 times more powerful than the Xbox One's and is described by Eurogamer / Digital Foundry as "a beast." This equates to six teraflops of performance; for more, check out our guide on what a teraflop is and what it means for Xbox's Project Scorpio.
Scorpio also boasts eight custom x86 CPU cores, each clocked at 2.3 GHz, which represents a speed increase over both Xbox One's eight 1.75 GHz Jaguar cores and PS4 Pro's similar array that runs at 2.1 GHz.
Lastly, the upgraded console will ship with a 1 TB hard drive and supports 4K Ultra HD Blu-Rays, just like the Xbox One S can; PS4, PS4 Pro, and Xbox One can all only take standard Blu-Ray discs.
So what does all this mean?
Well, the Scorpio is seemingly capable of native 4K gameplay at a consistent 60 FPS. Digital Foundry saw a test version of Forza--based on the same engine used to build Forza Motorsport 6--running at those levels, though other titles will likely vary. Existing games that have a 30 FPS cap on Xbox One will also need to be patched if they are to have higher frame rates.
Scorpio will run all Xbox One games "better," whether they're patched for the new console or not. That means a more stable or higher frame rate, improved texture filtering, no screen tearing, and faster load times. All of that is also reportedly true for backwards-compatible Xbox 360 games, even though changes in hardware between Xbox One and Project Scorpio mean Microsoft has had to go through every existing game individually to make them run on Scorpio.
Scorpio also contains some improvements to Xbox One's features. Game DVR now lets you capture 4K, 60 FPS, HDR gameplay, and it will also allow you to scrub through captured gameplay to find the best screenshots. However, just like the Xbox One S, the new console does not contain a Kinect port--you'll need a USB adapter to use your Xbox One camera device.
Users who own 1080p televisions will still be catered for, too: "ultra HD-rendering should super-sample down for those 1080p displays," says the site, meaning games should look sharper, even if you don't own a 4K set.
According to Eurogamer--which received official information from Microsoft--Project Scorpio is 100% compatible with all Xbox One games as well as Xbox 360 titles that are supported by Microsoft's backwards compatibility program. On Project Scorpio, these games will be "smoother, look better, and load faster."
The PlayStation 4 Pro features more powerful versions of the original PS4 hardware, allowing it to essentially function as a standard PS4 for emulation purposes. On the other hand, Project Scorpio is a radical hardware overhaul, and so cannot take this approach. The new hardware configuration allows its full horsepower to be used when running existing games.
This means Xbox One games that aren't able to sustain their frame rates on that console have "a really good chance of doing so on Scorpio." However, it is noted that games that are designed to run at 30 FPS won't just start running at 60 FPS, as it is the software itself that decides the target. Scorpio doesn't have the capability of unlocking a cap.
On the subject of screen tearing, Microsoft says that "you will never see a torn frame, because we have enough performance there to ensure that."
Games that use dynamic scaling to adjust their resolutions based on what's happening on-screen also stand to benefit, as Scorpio should allow them to reach their maximum resolution at all times. Texture filtering, meanwhile, has been improved since Project Scorpio can overwrite "all bilinear and all trilinear fetches to be anisotropic."
The 31% CPU boost means that loading times in existing games will be "fundamentally faster." This is because the CPU is capable of decompressing assets streamed from the hard drive quicker. Additionally, the hard disk speed is 50% quicker so that 4K textures can be delivered faster. Naturally, Xbox One and Xbox 360 games also benefit from this.
In addition, the improvements mean you'll be able to capture higher quality screenshots and footage using the enhanced Game DVR app.
Eurogamer notes that some of these enhancements may cause compatibility issues on "a very small percentage of titles." However, Microsoft is working on ensuring that "all titles work," even if "some of the benefits above need to be dialled back."
Microsoft has said Project Scorpio, its new high-end version of Xbox One, is designed to "win developers back." Speaking to Eurogamer, corporate vice president of Xbox and Windows gaming Mike Ybarra said it wants to foster a relationship similar to the one it had with developers during the Xbox 360's life.
"The team looked back at developers and the developer relationship we have," he said. "With Xbox 360 we had the absolute best platform for developers, [with Xbox One] we sort of lost that in a two-year time-frame, so we said how do we win the mind-share of those developers back?
"We want the best games running on our box and there are tools, devkits and some arrows like that to win the developers back. So that was a big priority for us as we approached this product."
Ybarra added that Microsoft has been focused on ensuring that developers have a toolset that allows them to "create the absolute best version of [their] games." This, he continued, was in order to "win the hearts and minds of developers" again.
The decision to release a new, more powerful version of the Xbox One was also influenced by the hardware iteration model established by the mobile phone industry.
"When you think about phones, for example, consumers are buying phones more frequently than we've ever seen," Ybarra explained. "[Consumer] expectation of technology is they no longer need to wait for it, it's immediately there in front of them and they expect all of their content to flow across those devices, too.
"And so when you see people buy phones, their apps just download and they just keep going and it works seamlessly for them. Same with 4K TVs. 4K TVs are one of the biggest holiday items this past year. People are expecting this new technology faster than I've ever seen and when you think about the console business, that's kind of in conflict to that, because it's like here's a console and for the next five to seven years, you're on that physical box."
Of course, Ybarra also noted that this new approach carries with it inherent risks.
"We're taking that big risk to release something we know consumers want," he said. "And adopting that business model, that's where the risk comes in--it's in the business model of saying let's change things up and let's give consumers what they want, sooner."
Hardware specs for Project Scoripio have also been revealed and the console looks to be as powerful as Microsoft initially touted it to be, with hardware is beyond what we've seen in the current console generation.
Microsoft has revealed fresh new tech specs about its upcoming upgraded Xbox One console, Project Scorpio.
According to a new report from Digital Foundry, the console's specs are beyond what we've seen in the current console generation. Scorpio was able to run a Forza Motorsport demo at 60 FPS in seemingly native 4K, with graphical settings at an "Xbox One-equivalent" level.
In terms of specs, the console boasts a 1 TB hard drive, as well as 12 GB of GDDR5 memory--the same type of RAM contained in the PlayStation 4, though Sony's device only contains 8 GB.
That 12 GB is split into two portions: 8 GB is accessible to developers, while 4 GB is reserved for system use. That's an increase over Xbox One's 8 GB overall memory, which was split the same way into portions of 5 GB and 3 GB, while GDDR5 represents a speed increase over Xbox One's DDR3 RAM.
Digital Foundry--which was shared this information by Microsoft itself--says Scorpio will run all Xbox One games "better," whether they're patched for the new console or not. This is because the console uses no emulation--Xbox One games will run natively using the system's internal power.
Scorpio's GPU--which is 4.6 times as powerful as Xbox One's--is described by Digital Foundry as "a beast." Combined with a faster CPU, the result is a more stable or higher frame rate, no screen tearing, and faster load times. All of that is also reportedly true for backwards-compatible Xbox 360 games, even though changes in hardware between Xbox One and Project Scorpio mean Microsoft has had to go through every existing game individually to make them run on Scorpio.
Scorpio also contains some improvements to Xbox One's features. Game DVR now lets you capture 4K, 60 FPS, HDR gameplay, and it will also allow you to scrub through captured gameplay to find the best screenshots. However, the new console does not contain a Kinect port--you'll need a USB adapter to use your Xbox One camera device.
The site says Scorpio's internal design brief was to scale existing titles up to 4K--and this latest batch of information suggests Microsoft has succeeded. it should be noted, however, that the demo only contained one test version of an unconfirmed Forza game--though the build apparently was built using the same tech used to make Forza Motorsport 6. Additionally, titles that were originally 30 FPS will not go over that unless patched to do so, while the level of optimization seen in all titles could vary.
Users who own 1080p televisions will still be catered for, too: "ultra HD-rendering should super-sample down for those 1080p displays," says the site, meaning games should look sharper, even if you don't own a 4K set.
Although no price has officially been confirmed, Digital Foundry and Eurogamer estimate from the specs they've seen that the console will cost US $499--the same price as the Xbox One at launch. For more on the latest Scorpio specs--including all the technical details of the console's CPU and GPU--check out our rundown here.
Update: Marvel Heroes Omega has also now been announced for Xbox One. However, a blog post on the Xbox Wire does not mention any beta test, suggesting that trial may be exclusive to PS4.
Original story follows.
Gazillion Entertainment, the developer of 2013's PC RPG Marvel Heroes, has announced a follow-up called Marvel Heroes Omega, coming to PlayStation 4 this spring.
Marvel Heroes Omega "draws inspiration from both action-RPGs and MMOs," says community manager David Lee. Headline characters include Spider-Man, the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, while villains Loki and Doctor Doom will also make an appearance in the game's nine-chapter story campaign.
You can take a look at the game's reveal trailer above, or if you want to try it out for yourself, Gazillion has stated a closed beta will come to PS4 soon.
It's unclear whether Omega represents a full sequel to Marvel Heroes--which Gazillion has continued to support since its launch four years ago--or if it's to be a port of that PC game. We do know, however, that the new game will be free-to-play, just like the original title.
In other Marvel news, upcoming Spider-Man reboot movie, Homecoming, recently saw a new trailer released. The film--which is set to hit theaters on July 7--stars Tom Holland in action as Spidey, plus Michael Keaton as the villainous Vulture, and Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is also scheduled for this year, while a new teaser for Netflix's Defenders series recently got a new teaser--check it out here.
Creative Assembly, the studio behind the Total War and Total War: Warhammer series, has said "production for [its] next historical major release is well underway." The statement follows the announcement of Total War: Warhammer 2, which raised concerns among fans of its real world history-based strategy titles.
"We have had many questions on when our next historical title is going to be available," reads a statement on the Total War website. "We're looking at a number of ways of bring a variety of historical content out over the coming months and years, rather than focusing on one singular project."
According to community content editor Michael Whelan, Creative Assembly's next major historical title is in development, "with the team working on all areas of the game." Whelan added that "the game design is locked and asset creation fully underway," and that the team has "seen some particularly jaw-dropping character and campaign map concepts that have really pushed the strong visual design of this release."
He continued: "We have also been collaborating with our first historical advisor, pre-eminent in his field and already bringing that world-leading expertise to bear on our designs and extensive research so far--don't forget, it's an era that we haven't tackled yet, so we want to make sure we get it right."
Creative Assembly is also thinking about producing "additional content or standalones for some of our more recent historical titles." Developers that worked on Total War: Rome II and Total War: Attila have formed new teams to investigate these opportunities.
By "standalones," Whelan is likely referring to standalone expansions built on existing games.
Total War: Warhammer 2, meanwhile, does not yet have a specific release date. However it's due out sometime before the end of 2017. A third game is also expected in the future, as this series has been announced as a trilogy.
Blizzard has released a new Overwatch comic called "Uprising," offering readers some more insight into the history of the titular heroic team. The comic takes place seven years before the game and depicts a "flashpoint in the conflict between omnics and humans."
"On the eve of a historic peace accord, King's Row is seized by an extremist faction of robots known as Null Sector," Blizzard explains. "The British government forbids Overwatch from interceding, which means Strike Commander Jack Morrison must decide whether to disobey orders or stand by while thousands of lives are in peril."
Interestingly, this mission is also revealed to be Tracer's first as part of the Overwatch team, and the comic shows how she went from cadet in training to hero on the field. We're also given a look at what Genji looked like when he was an operative for Blackwatch--Overwatch's black ops team.
You can read the comic on the official Overwatch website. Blizzard has also released a motion comic version, which includes small animations on the artwork and some ambient music.
While it is unclear what will be included, Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan told us in a recent interview that a Zarya skin won't be. However, there will be something for fans of the pink-haired badass soon after. The interview also discusses Kaplan's love of peanut butter and a cat hero that was scrapped.
Yooka-Laylee will receive a day one update to improve its camera and overall performance, developer Playtonic has announced (via Eurogamer).
The patch also fixes a bunch of issues, including some game-breaking bugs. It's reportedly out now on Xbox One and will be ready on PlayStation 4 and PC in time for the game's April 11 launch. Take a look at the full list of fixes at the bottom of this article.
In our Yooka-Laylee review, critic Kallie Plagge said a "largely uncooperative camera" was partly what keeps the game "from being more than just a nostalgia trip."
"Ultimately, Yooka-Laylee's best and worst aspects come directly from its predecessor, [Banjo-Kazooie]," she continued. "Despite attempts at modernizing the formula, its style of gameplay is still outdated, and it doesn't stay challenging or interesting for long as a result. But if you're looking for a faithful return to the Banjo-Kazooie formula, Yooka-Laylee certainly delivers--from the font to the music to the wealth of collectibles, it's worthy of the title of spiritual successor."
[Fixed] Camera will become locked in place after completing Gravity Room challenge in Galleon
[Fixed] Grappling the seeds as they break in Planker's challenge causes erratic behaviour in Moodymaze Marsh
[Fixed] Game softlocks and has to be reset if the player leaves the course and faints during the Nimble race in Tribalstack Tropics
[Fixed] Softlock will sometimes occur on the Hub C slide if the player faints at the same moment as the timer reaching zero
[Fixed] If the player leaves Brreeeze Block's room in the Icymetric Palace in Glitterglaze Glacier but remains in the world and returns to the same room then the isometric camera will be deactivated
[Fixed] If player is killed by a bizzy in hub B and knocked back into the archive door at the exact same time, the screen will still transition. When the player respawns, they will be unable to move
Performance improvements to various camera transitions in the introductory cut scene
Performance improvements to Shipwreck Creek and Hivory Towers. Various areas have been improved including camera movement
Performance improvements when using the light beam in the Icymetric Palace within Glitterglaze Glacier
Performance improvements during the House of Cards ball roll course in Capital Cashino
Performance improvements in the Bee-Bop arcade game
State of Decay 2 developer Undead Labs has confirmed how many maps the zombie sequel will have at launch. In a blog post, the studio said there will be three maps out of the gate. Each of the areas is "roughly the size of the original," Undead Labs said.
The maps will be very varied. "You should expect to see slightly different environments, definitely different landmarks and locations, different layouts lending themselves to different strategies, unique home sites, and even different mission types," Undead said.
The studio went on to explain why State of Decay 2 has three maps instead of one. The idea is that the studio wants players not to experience a sense of "deja vu," and this also gives Undead the freedom to potentially expand the game world even further with more locales in the future.
"Why'd we do it that way?" Undead said about State of Decay 2 having three maps. "Well, primarily, because it makes the game more fun. It really feels like you're moving from one small town to another, and creates a tremendous sense of immersion. And perhaps counter-intuitively, it makes the world feel even bigger.
"You know how on one map (even one three times the size as the original game's) the longer you play, the more you start feeling deju vu with every mission?" it added. "That's less of an issue with separate maps. And see above about strategies and missions. Oh, and one more detail--the multiple map set up makes it easy to expand the world down the line, if you know what I mean."
Also in the blog post, Undead explained that its idea is to allow players to take all of the survivors and all every item collected in one area to the others. Additionally, players should get some kind of refund for the buildings they create on one area when they move to the next. All of this is subject to change, as State of Decay 2 remains in development.
"We'll have all the vehicles parked in our home site parking spaces, along with whatever's stored in the trunks," the statement says. "We're also going to get at least a partial refund on what we sunk into building our facilities. That's the intention, anyway. As always, specifics may change a bit as we get deeper into testing..."
That State of Decay 2 will have a larger game world than the first game is no surprise. Last year, Undead boss Jeff Strain confirmed that the sequel's game world will be "substantially larger" than that of the first game.
The celebrated new Atlus RPG, Persona 5, has now shipped 1.5 million copies. According to DualShockers, publisher Atlus announced the figure today.
The PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 game launched in September last year in Japan, and finally came to North America and Europe earlier this week.
There is no word on how Persona 5's 1.5 million shipment figure compares to past entries in the series.
In other news about Persona 5, Atlus this week announced a streaming policy that threatens people who show off too much of the game's story. Additonally, Atlus has blocked the PlayStation 4's sharing features while playing the game.
Atlus is supporting Persona 5 with a lot of DLC--both free and paid. Here is a rundown of all the content that's coming to the game in the future.
Hearthstone's next season starts on April 6, but you can get a look at every card the new expansion will introduce courtesy of the Hearthstone Facebook account. We've organized the various cards below into minions, spells, and weapons and sorted by rarity.
But first, the big new addition is the keyword Adapt. This new ability allows creatures with Adapt to add new helpful abilities like Divine Shield or +3 attack. Akin to the Discover ability, you'll be given a choice of three different upgrades, and then you pick a single one to apply to your creature. Here are all the different Adapt abilities:
Alongside Adapt, Journey to Un'Goro introduces a new Quest system. If you have a Quest card in your deck, you're guaranteed to draw one in your first hand (though you're free to mulligan it if you don't think it'll help your matchup). Complete the conditions of the quest for an insanely powerful card reward. Here are the various quests and their corresponding rewards:
Here are all of the new minions you'll come across in Journey to Un'Goro (minus the creatures that only appear from completing quests):
Common Minions:
Rare Minions:
Epic Minions:
Legendary Minions:
And alongside the army of new creatures are also new spells. Here are all of the powerful effects you'll be able to conjure forth:
Common Spells:
Rare Spells:
Epic Spells:
(Note: Legendary spells do exist in Un'Goro, but they can only be acquired from Quests, outlined above.)
Here's a preview of the new jungle-themed background:
There are only three weapons to be found in the deep jungles of this expansion:
That's a lot of cards, but the big question as the expansion approaches is: "How will this change the meta?" Only time will tell, but it looks like Pirate Warrior is finally going to get some serious competition.
BlizzCon 2017 is coming this November, and tickets to the show will go on sale starting today. They tend to sell out rather quickly, so if you're hoping to get a spot at this Blizzard-focused gaming event, you should prepare now. The first batch of tickets will become available on April 5, at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET. The second batch will be available to buy days later, on Saturday, April 8, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM PT.
Tickets cost $200 each before fees.
To get tickets, you'll need to register here at Universe.com. In a blog post, Blizzard laid out a few other things you might want to prepare ahead of time to make sure you can get into and out of the queue as efficiently as possible including. Here's a quick summary:
Your name (obviously) as well as any of your Blizzard "character names (optional)."
"Credit card information."
"Your friends' information." If you want to be a pal, you can acquire tickets for a few of your friends, though you'll need their full names and email addresses, though if you're not 100% on who might be joining you Blizzard says: "enter your information. You can update the names and emails later on."
Blizzard is also holding another BlizzCon Benefit Dinner, on November 2, to support the Children's Hospital of Orange County. Tickets for this event are priced at $750 each and go on sale on April 12 at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET right here.
"Attendees will have a chance to talk games, swap stories, and share a drink or two with Blizzard developers and community representatives, and Blizzard will donate the net proceeds to the hospital," Blizzard explained in its announcement.
Also coming back this year is the Blizzard Virtual Ticket. However, Blizzard did not announce pricing or availability for this, though those details will come in time.
BlizzCon 2017 will be held November 3-4 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
"BlizzCon will be here again before we know it, and we're looking forward to catching up with the community, taking in the awesome esports action, and showing everyone what we've been working on," Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said in a statement. "We're already hard at work making this year's show an unforgettable experience--we can't wait to see everyone there."
Specifics are being held back for now, but Blizzard did confirm that BlizzCon 2017 attendees will get to play Blizzard games and attend panels and Q&A sessions with developers. There will also presumably be a concert; last year, "Weird Al" Yankovic performed.
EA has announced more details about its E3 2017 plans. Starting off, the publisher confirmed that its own EA Play event will run June 10-12, with a keynote briefing scheduled for Saturday, June 10, at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET. That's right, E3 starts on Saturday this year.
EA's briefing will be followed by presentations from Microsoft and Bethesda on Sunday, June 11, with Sony expected to follow on Monday, June 12. Ubisoft is expected to have a show this year as well, while Nintendo is surely cooking something up, too.
The EA Play event this year takes place in Hollywood, instead of LA Live (right outside E3's Los Angeles Convention Center) where it was in 2016.
People who attend EA Play 2017 can play Star Wars Battlefront 2 and the next Need for Speed game, as well as this year's sports games such as Madden 18, FIFA 18, and NBA Live 18.
Some surprises are on the way, too. "This isn't all, by the way...and we'll have more to share in the coming months," EA said in a blog post.
Attendees will also get to see "detailed gamplay deep dives, competitive events, and exclusive interviews with the development teams."
Tickets for EA Play 2017 go on sale on April 20, starting at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. More details on the ticketing process will be announced in the coming weeks.
What are you hoping to see from EA at E3 this year? Let us know in the comments below!
The first few months of 2017 gave us an assortment of amazing new games; April is no different. With games like Persona 5, Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe making up this month's roster, there's no shortage of experiences to get sucked into. Below, you can see the biggest April releases as well as a full list of everything else coming out this month. You can also see this week's major releases in the video above.
The long-running Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series is back with its fifth entry. It follows the adventures of a group of high school kids who secretly moonlight as supernatural cat burglars.
Yooka-Laylee is a colorful 3D platformer developed by Playtonic Games, a studio comprised of several former key developers that worked on the Banjo-Kazooie series and Donkey Kong 64. A Nintendo Switch version of the game is expected to launch sometime later this year.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an enhanced port of the original game that features additional power-ups, including a reworked Battle Mode, the reintroduction of Feather and Boo in Battle Mode, and five additional playable characters.
Unlike recent games in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is fairly indirect in how it shepherds you through its world. While it reveals some details, most of the time it's up to you to figure out how to survive. That's why we've compiled all of our in-depth guides to better help you in your journey to understand and overcome the game's myriad threats and mysteries. Keep in mind, there are potential spoilers in some of the guides below.
You can also check out our full review of the game, as well as our feature detailing everything you need to know about it. Be sure to check back often as we update this article with our upcoming Breath of the Wild guides and features.
It's dangerous to go alone in the world of Breath of the Wild; the unwary can perish in a matter of seconds. That's why we've compiled beginner's tips to help you become a veteran survivalist of Hyrule. For a condensed take on what you need to know, watch the video above. Otherwise, check out our comprehensive guide for the full details. [Beginner's Guide]
Things The Game Doesn't Tell You
There are numerous important mechanics and concepts that the game never explains outright. At times the game alludes to them, but the majority of the time, you're left to figure them out on your own, either by experimenting or completing a sidequest that introduces a particular mechanic. With so many veiled secrets, we've compiled a plethora of useful things to know to help you on your journey. [Things The Game Doesn't Tell You]
How To Care For Your Horse
Breath of the Wild changes the tradition from past games in the series by removing Link's iconic trusty steed, Epona. Instead, you must find your own horse. Check out the video above for some tips on how to better tame and care for it. [How To Care For Your Horse]
How To Survive Every Environment
Pretty much everywhere you go in Zelda: Breath of the Wild can be dangerous, but some areas require more specific preparation than others. Venturing out in the middle of a thunderstorm or scaling a snowy mountain can be deadly, if not downright impossible, without the right gear, items, and knowledge. Here's what you need to know to survive in almost every situation. For a condensed version of the guide, watch the video above. Otherwise, check out our comprehensive version for the full details. [How To Survive Every Environment]
There are plenty of weapons to find in Breath of the Wild. In our time spent with the game, we've found quite the arsenal. Take a look at all the weapons that we've found so far. [All The Weapons We've Found (So Far)]
All The Armor We've Found (So Far)
Breath of the Wild has a plethora of awesome armor sets to discover. In our time spent with the game, we've been able to find a decent amount. Check out each armor set we've found thus far. [All The Armor We've Found (So Far)]
How To Make Money
Money can be hard to come by in Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but if you're resourceful, you can get rich in no time. We detail seven tips to keep your pockets full of Rupees. Check out our comprehensive version for the full details. [How To Make Money]
How To Find Korok Seeds
If you've been playing through Zelda: Breath of the Wild for even a few hours, you might have noticed that you have very little inventory space for weapons, bows, and shields. Luckily, you can expand your inventory slots! All you have to do is find Koroks, children of the forest that are hiding all over the map. When you find one, it will give you a Korok seed, which you can then trade to an adorable musician named Hestu for inventory slots. There are 11 different kinds of Korok hiding spots and 900 Korok seeds total--you can get them all for completion, but you'll only need 441 to max out your inventory slots. Rather than show all 900 locations, we've put together everything you need to know to find as many as you need. [How To Find Korok Seeds]
Cooking Tips And Tricks
Cooking is essential to your survival in Breath of the Wild. Eating food raw will restore a very small amount of your hearts, but cooking food will maximize its health benefits--and sometimes grant you useful side effects, like the cold resistance you need to safely travel through snow. For a condensed version of the guide, watch the video above. Otherwise, check out our comprehensive version for the full details. [Cooking Tips And Tricks]
Late Game Guides
Great Fairy Fountain Locations
It's possible to upgrade your armor in the game. But to do so, you must reawaken the power of any of the four Great Fairies that exist in the world. However, finding them is a difficult task if you're not sure where to look. Here are details on how to find the Great Fairies, as well as how to reawaken them. For a condensed version of the guide, watch the video above. Otherwise, check out our comprehensive version for the full details. [Great Fairy Fountain Locations]
How To Find The Master Sword
Breath of the Wild breaks away from tradition, discarding many of the time-honored tropes the series has been known for. Despite this, it still keeps a few iconic elements from past games. The most notable is the Master Sword, which remains a useful tool you can use to complete your quest. But acquiring the blade is no easy task, as it's hidden somewhere beyond your reach. Here are directions to help you find the Master Sword. [How To Find The Master Sword]
All The Memory Locations
As you explore, you can discover special cutscenes called Captured Memories. These scenes are triggered when you reach specific locations that correspond to photographs in your Sheikah Slate's album. Finding these memories is difficult, as it requires an intimate knowledge of the world. To help you obtain and find all the memories, we've compiled a guide with details on the locations of all 12. [All The Memory Locations]
How to Defeat Breath of the Wild's Mini-Bosses
Are the Lynels causing you trouble? Is the Stone Talus rocking your world? Here are some pointers on how to take down Breath of the Wild's massive mini-bosses. [How to Defeat Breath of the Wild's Mini-Bosses]
How To Get The Best Armor Sets
You start your adventure with nothing but an old shirt and well-worn trousers. But as you progress, there are myriad armor sets to find that offer more useful bonuses than just an increase to your defense. Whether it's a boost to your attack or climbing speed, there's something for every situation. That's why we've compiled a guide on how to find the best armor sets available in the game. [How To Get The Best Armor Sets]
Guides to Fun Unlockables
How To Get Monster Masks
You can find monster masks in the game, which allow you to blend in with the corresponding enemy it represents. They're handy pieces of equipment that are well worth tracking down. Check out how to find monster masks and Kilton, the eccentric merchant that sells them. For a condensed version of the guide, watch the video above. Otherwise, check out our comprehensive version for the full details. [How To Get Monster Masks]
How To Dye Your Clothes
Unlike previous games in the series, Breath of the Wild allows you to change the color of your clothing. To do so, you need to talk to Sayge, the manager of Kochi Dye Shop in Hateno Village. Below you can find details on where to find him and what you need to do in order to dye your clothes. [How To Dye Your Clothes]
For more on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, check out the news stories below.
Amiibo Unlock Guide
The official Nintendo page for the The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild lists Amiibo that are compatible with the game, but it provides few other firm details. Fortunately, we've tirelessly been scanning various Amiibo into our games here at the office to try and lock down exactly what items you can get. [Amiibo Unlock Guide]
Everything You Can Ride
There are a wide variety of creatures you can tame and ride in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Whether you're riding on horseback or plowing through enemies atop a bear, you have no shortage of mounts to ride across the Hyrule countryside. [Everything You Can Ride]
How To Buy A House
The game allows you to purchase your own house. And the best part is that you can get one relatively early in the game. Check out how to become a homeowner in the land of Hyrule, as well as how to expand the benefits you receive from it. For a condensed version of the guide, watch the video above. Otherwise, read our comprehensive version for the full details. [How To Buy A House]
For more on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, check out the news stories below.
FIFA 17 is coming to EA's Xbox One subscription service EA Access, and its PC version Origin. The EA Sports title will be added to the libraries of games players can access as part of their membership on April 21.
Making full use of EA's Frostbite engine, FIFA 17 was released in September 2017. Our reviewer Nathan Ditum gave it a 9/10 and lauded its "still-excellent fundamental gameplay" and many small changes that ultimately make it another successful entry in the long-running series. It also added a new story mode called The Journey, which Nathan said attached "an added emotional weight to your actions on the pitch." Now players have more options to access the game.
For a monthly cost, EA Access allows Xbox One players to access 'The Vault,' where they can download as many games as they want. Origin offers the same deal to PC users, and both services are $4.99 a month or $29.99 for a year's subscription.
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